What interests you in the field of technology?

According to me, Digital Technology should be a fundamental right of any citizen.

From young, Iā€™ve always felt comfortable with Technology. I am from the era where technology just started in our regular life. Not everyone was comfortable with using technology. 

I remember my first ā€œNokiaā€ mobile phone even though there was no Whatsapp, Facebook and internet on my mobile. But I was happy to have my personal phone with me, my mother was able to be in touch with me via mobile phone. Slowly when Technology improved, we had smartphones so it seemed like everything was in our pocket. I remember the first social networking website I used during my early 20s was ā€œOrkutā€. 

On the other hand, there was news related to cyber threats such as phishing attacks, Dos attacks and more. From there I came to know about cyber-attacks, I read some articles related to cyber threats and saw how people were feeling scared with these threats. From there my interest in Ethical Hacking slowly improved. Many people think hackers are bad people. But itā€™s not true, there are different kinds of hackers. I am talking about ethical hackers/ white hat hackers, the good people. Ethical hacking teaches hacking together with ethics. 

At what point in your life did you realise that teaching was your calling?

I love to teach others. In my childhood, I always taught my classmates and did the same in my university years. At home, I taught my elder brother and nowadays I teach my son. My mother was a teacher. She used to share her teaching stories and she wanted me to see a teacher. So I choose teaching as my career. 

Any interesting stories on campus?

I joined 51±¬ĮĻ during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic teaches us many things including how to support each other especially with Burmist students as they needed mental support together with learning. Some of them share their scary stories which broke my heart. Also, I remember when I took a hybrid lesson, sometimes it was funny when I got up from my chair to answer a physical student’s query and the online students searched for me.

How important is cyber security with the increased presence of cloud storage nowadays?

Well, it is very important for cloud companies to work harder in cyber security as many of the companies are using cloud storage for their business. Any cyber-attack in the cloud is going to impact millions. Cloud service providers must make sure they have robust infrastructure, experienced and knowledgeable pen-testers as well as security analysts to deal with future cyber-attacks.

What do you do to destress? 

I do yoga, listen to music, and sometimes also dance to my favourite songs.

You may also be interested in:
A Peek Into Dr Alby’s Life
A Peek Into Dr Tham’s Life

If you are a fresh graduate, a job seeker, or maybe you are contemplating furthering your studies, it is important to understand the current job market and hiring trends and plan your career path wisely. By doing so, you can work towards achieving your desired income and perhaps, earning yourself a career in one of the highest paying jobs in Singapore.

Overview of jobs in Singapore with high salary

In Singapore, some of the growth sectors with high salary package includes Finance, Healthcare, Technology and Business. 

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the labour markets were disrupted significantly, with noticeably shifting demands to the job markets and industries in Singapore.

Some of the sectors were hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, while others were able to withstand or even thrive in the difficult times. Despite uncertainties that remain in the job market and elevated unemployment rates¹, it is sensible for anyone to change jobs and re-evaluate his/her career path during a crisis. Afterall, many growth sectors will continue to hire whether the Covid-19 pandemic will remain or not.

Should a high salary be an important consideration?

Voted as one of the highest cost of living countries in the world², it is true that a high salary in Singapore will be able to help you cope with the urban lifestyle expenses and high standard of living.

However, a high paying job usually means that a certain level of education certification and experience, especially for specialised sectors like healthcare. It is therefore important for you to plan your career path early and understand what you would like to achieve in life.

The best-paying jobs and salaries in Singapore

To help you plan and better understand some of the highest paying jobs and industries in Singapore, the below table shows the list of our top 10 jobs with high salaries.

What degree pays the most for new graduates in Singapore?

1.  Technology 

The Information Technology and Computer sector is one of the highest paying industries for fresh graduates and could be one of the best to start if you are going after a high paying job.

Having an interest in computers and technology is essential for this industry – and a specialised field like IT will require you to have a related degree.

Many companies are adapting to a new digital future, which has driven a demand for IT professionals who are equipped with in-demand skills in areas of Cybersecurity, Networking Technology and Database Systems. According to Salary Explorer³, a specialist with Ethical Hacking skill typically earns an income of around $6,800 per month.

A fresh graduate in the Technology field can take back an average salary of about $3,005 per month or about $39k per annum.

2.  Financial Services 

A financial hub is a city in which a large amount of financial transaction takes place. The Global Financial Centres Index ranks Singapore at the 6^th spot for the Top Ten Global Financial Centres.

With the Monetary Authority of Singaporeā€™s announcement in the issuance of four digital banking licenses⁴ in December last year, we can expect to see more hiring in the financial sector subsequently. Expected demand in job roles for this sector include operational risk, compliance, and financial analysis.

As a globally recognised, vibrant and competitive financial market, a fresh graduate in financial service can earn about $3110 per month or $40k per annum in Singapore.

3.  Business & Sales 

The Business and Sales unit in a company plays a vital role in driving revenue in the company. A business degree often offers a myriad of career choices and opportunities for fresh graduates, including Business Administration, Marketing and Sales. The entry-level salary for business and sales estimates around $3,000 per month, or $39k per annum. Do note that this depends on the industries as well.

4.  Engineering

With so many different types of engineering to choose from, including electrical and electronics, mechanical, construction, and many more, the role of engineers is important and in-demand across all industries.

Some of the in-demand skills and qualifications in emerging jobs of engineering hiring include Robotics Technology and Internet-of-Things (IoT). According to Salary Explorer⁵, a robotic engineer working in Singapore can earn around $8,230 per month depending on years of professional experience and education qualification.

With an estimated salary of about $2,700 per month, or $35k per annum for fresh graduates, the opportunities for engineers are wide-ranging and offer career progression and prospects.

5.  Healthcare

Local entry-level registered nurses currently take home about $3,300 per month or around $43k per annum.

Since the pandemic, the shortage of trained healthcare professionals has been magnified. The Singapore government is working to retain healthcare professionals by increasing their pay, to ensure competitiveness for the workforce.

With the opportunities and demand ahead in the healthcare sector, many are now considering a healthcare career. Whether a student looking to enter the industry, an existing medical professional looking to upskill for career progression, or even a mid-career switcher.

Interestingly, in comparison to other professions, a career in nursing is more versatile as nursing skills are always in high demand almost everywhere in the world. Therefore, it provides a greater opportunity if you aspire to work overseas in the future.

It is important to remember that as a specialised industry, having relevant education and qualifications is required for this industry.

Local institutions such as the 51±¬ĮĻ School of Health and Nursing offer a clear progressive educational path for anyone looking to work in the healthcare industry.

Some of the programmes include:

• Master of Business Administration (Health Management)
• Master of Public Health  
• Master of Science Healthcare Management
• Bachelor of Science Nursing (Top-up) 
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Nutrition Science  
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) Healthcare Management

Whatā€™s Next

With the ever-changing landscape in the job market, it is critical to know and understand what kind of industries you want to go into. Keeping this in mind, it will be much easier to gear yourself towards the right education path and choose your specialisation.

Fresh graduates and job seekers may be faced with uncertainties, but it is still possible for you to land your dream job if you keep this in mind:

• Be well-prepared
• Equip yourself with the right skills
• Know your worth

And lastly, stay positive and keep working towards your goals!

For more information on the courses and various educational paths, visit the 51±¬ĮĻ website to find out more.

Source:

¹ Ministry of Manpower, 2021, Labour Market Statistical Information, Summary Table: Unemployment (Q3 2020).

²

³

⁴

⁵

Introducing a new series “A Peek Into” where we interview Head of Schools and Lecturers and understand what life is like for them on campus and beyond. Today, we’ll take A Peek Into Dr Tham’s Life as the Dean of 51±¬ĮĻ and also the Head of School for the School of Engineering & Technology.  

What do you do as the Dean of 51±¬ĮĻ & the Head of School (HOS) for the School of Engineering & Technology (SET)? 

As a Dean, I oversee all operational issues for all schools at 51±¬ĮĻ for both students and staff i.e. enrolment, discipline or misconduct, welfare, working and learning environment and others. As the HOS, I have been involved in studentā€™s learning from the day a student enrolled into the programme till graduation and beyond. Students sometimes face difficulties and I try to solve them. For example, some students might have difficulty attending classes due to work commitments or personal issues. I have to ensure that lecturers are aware and we provide support to those students.

What first interests you in the field of Engineering?

It all started when I saw my neighbour playing with a yoyo. Iā€™m not sure how old was I then. I was wondering how he made the yoyo swing back and forth while spinning. It was fascinating! I tried to figure out how it works and tried to modify my own yoyo by changing the string, even tried to put some light on it by dismantling it, but unfortunately failed and got scolded for breaking the yoyo. 

What would the students be surprised to find out about you?

I am very playful with my friends. We did a lot of things during our university time that our lecturers have warned us to stop or risk not being able to attend lectures.

What are some of the challenges SET students face today?

With the advancement of technology, students face very stiff competition among their peers around the world. The information or knowledge that they learnt might be outdated when they graduate. Hence, students need to update themselves regularly so that they can stay in the know and be competitive. 

Everything in excess is dangerous. Is artificial intelligence a threat or a blessing for todayā€™s job?

It all depends on the purpose of the use of artificial intelligence. From my personal view, it is a blessing because it can help us to work more efficiently especially when working on routine work or tasks that do not involve decision making. Once decision making is done by artificial intelligence, we will be in deep trouble as it will only follow logic. However, we humans are born illogical.  

QuickFire Questions

What do you do to destress?

A night of good sleep will help me to destress and refresh my mind.

Whatā€™s your Netflix/Disney + recommendations? 

I am a big fan of animations or cartoons, especially lighthearted titles such as Ice Age, The Croods, Tom and Jerry, Kung Fu Panda and others. I watch them together with my children.

Types of cyber attacks Ģż

• Bot Net: A botnet is a huge network of compromised systems used by attacker to stop computer functioning. Bot net performs tasks such as uploading viruses, sending mails with botnet attached, and stealing data.
• Phishing: Is a way of sending an illegitimate email falsely claiming to be from a legitimate site in order to acquire userā€™s account information. This can be done by providing an unwanted link to the mail and tempting users to click the link.
• Ransomware: Is a type of malware, which restricts access to the computer system files and folders and demand payment to clear the malware. Itā€™s usually spread through email messages or messages with attachments.
• Web application threats: Is a further subset of SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks. Most of these attacks are due to flawed application development and improper sanitisation of input and output of data from web application. It threatens the performance of the website and hampers web application security.
• Internet of things (IOT) Threats: Devices connected to the internet have no security at all or have means only minimal. Due to memory, battery and storage constraints, IOT Applications do not include complex security mechanisms which invite cyber-attacks. Also, the systems are more vulnerable and make it easier for
• Mobile threats: Users may download malware applications to their phones, which can damage applications and data and send sensitive information to the attackers. Attackers can then access sensitive data remotely using virtual environment.
• Eavesdropping: Is a threat to enterprise or individual by secretly listening to conversation between two parties either on phone or direct.
• Cloud computing threats: Cloud computing is an on-demand delivery of IT services and infrastructure. Enterprises can store sensitive information on the cloud. A flaw in one cloud platform will allow attackers to gain access to all the infrastructure in cloud and attack other enterprise data.

To conclude, one must understand various cyber attacks in order to take action against those attacks. Proper policies should be in place to avoid those attacks at the organisation level.Ģż Employees must be aware of the attacks at their level and support enterprises in fighting against cyber attacks.

Reference:

This article is contributed by Latha Manian from the School of Technology.

Why Face Recognition Systems?

Facial recognition in biometric technology is considered as the first step ahead for innovation into artificial intelligence. ĢżFace recognition cannot be compared with biometric finger prints. Accuracy of fingerprints is reduced when someone has dirt or grease on their fingers or the scanner. The scanner is unable to read the fingerprint in such a situation unless the finger or the scanner is cleaned. ĢżThe cost of fingerprint technology is considerably higher as it requires both unique hardware and software. On the other hand, Facial recognition does not require special hardware or software, and is a cost effective system.

How the Face Recognition System Works?
The first version of face recognition works with static images and not on live video feed. After learning how face recognition works on static images, the first version was enhanced to incorporate live video feed. This was achieved by capturing images frame by frame and comparing the images with existing faces in the system. Various algorithms were designed to implement Face recognition system.

Face Recognition Algorithms
Face recognition is achieved by either ā€œeigenfaceā€, ā€œfisherfaceā€ or ā€œLocal binary patternsā€ algorithms. ĢżTo develop this algorithms, the industry requires skilled and trained professionals.

Eigenface Algorithm
The scheme is based on an information theory approach. It decomposes face images into a small set of characteristic feature images called ā€œeigenfacesā€ which is the principal components of the initial set of face images. Recognition is performed by projecting a new image into the subspace spanned by eigenfaces (ā€œface spaceā€) and then classifying the face by comparing its position in face space with the position of known individuals.

This algorithm was implemented using tools Raspberry Pi Model 3b and Python Software.

Raspberry Pi consists of an integrated LAN port.Ģż The LAN port benefits the user by providing simple steps to connect to internet without adding an Ethernet shield. It also has a Wi-Fi integrated in it so the user can easily connect to the internet. Itā€™s similar to a mini computer which can perform multiple tasks such as print server and VPN for other personal computers.

Python
Python is a programming language and is easy to use. The strength of python is its high level data structures and object oriented features. Python interpreter makes use of implemented data types, functions and libraries from ā€˜cā€™ or ā€˜c++ā€™ language making it an ideal language for face recognition scripting. Python is widely used in bigger organisations due to its multiple programming paradigms and simplicity.

To conclude face recognition system leverages technology, people and processes to provide a secured living environment.

This article is contributed by Ms Latha Manian, Lecturer from the 51±¬ĮĻ School of Technology.

Current Business Challenges

In targeting to reach people with minimal efforts, businesses face a lot of challenges in advertising their products and services at the lowest cost possible. Some of the challenges faced in advertising and promotions are:

ā€¢ Poster printing
ā€¢ High operational cost
ā€¢ Able to display only one content at a time.
ā€¢ Unable to provide timely / updated information about the products/services
ā€¢ Flexibility to create and change the content.
ā€¢ Physical Server or infrastructure fails.
ā€¢ Lack of IT infrastructure like Domain Name Server, Proxy / Web server and Security tools
ā€¢ Involvement of multiple departments from marketing, content designer and IT department complicates the technology deployment.
ā€¢ People involved may not be computer literate.

In order to overcome the constraints, digital signage is introduced and optimised by leveraging the cloud enabled content management technology. By using cloud infrastructure, failures in infrastructure can be minimised and users are directed to next available infrastructure with zero down time.
How to develop?

Content Management is done by web-based application that uses multiple web development languages like Hyper Text Markup language (HTML), Cascade Stylesheet (CSS), JavaScript (JS) and Hypertext Pre Processor (PHP) and Webserver with Node.js. Dashboard user interface displays the status of the Digital Signage with snapshots of the content currently displayed on the digital signage as a monitoring feature. Furthermore, content manager is able to change the content scenes by scheduling timing to show relevant content during sales period or happy hour.

Build virtual server in cloud data center to host content management system which requires multiple applications like web server and database. Network infrastructure will be configured on virtual server to ensure the deployment of the Cloud-enabled Signage System to communicate between virtual server, CMS user and digital signage.

Security is an important aspect of the entire infrastructure as the system is seated in Cloud services. Therefore, numerous measurements like password management, network security, vulnerability check, intrusion detection system, antivirus and SSL certificates should be taken care as well.
Content Management System will be customised using multiple web development language and Application Programming Interface (API) to perform centralised content management.

We can make use of various tools available to build the infrastructure, one of the tool is IBM Blue Mix. It supports all the infrastructure required to develop cloud based content management.

Benefits of Cloud-Enabled Content Management in digital signage

ā€¢ Dynamic Content
ā€¢ Easy to Manage from centralised location by using web browser.
ā€¢ Display Content consistently in all locations
ā€¢ Efficient picture quality, brightness and volume.
ā€¢ Minimal infrastructure on premise

However, there are opposing views for and against the debate on Man versus Machine. Whilst one group may promote the greatness and benefits of Machines, the other may delineate the down side of Machines. It is always a challenge for the general public to decide how to combine both for mankindā€™s advantage. More importantly, it is about achieving the right balance between humans and technology to optimise outcomes that matter most.

Media also plays a very important role in getting these messages communicated in a rational manner to the public on the co-existence of Man and Machine. A short video titled: The Relationship Between Man and Machine: Futurism Originals is an example of how media influences the thinking of Man in either for or against Machine.

Moving forward, the optimal way to address this debate is in combining human intelligence and technology to achieve the right balance in automation for the betterment of mankind and the world.

SOA promotes loose coupling of software, resulting in services that are easier to integrate as they utilise lower-cost tools and have standards-based exchange formats and interface.

SOA Attributes:

ā€¢ Functionality is organised as a set of modular, reusable shared services
ā€¢ Services have well-defined interfaces and encapsulate key business processes
ā€¢ Customer facing solutions serve as customised views of these services for different segments, and can access these shared services as needed.
ā€¢ The reusable shared services are built without making any assumptions of who (portal or another service) will consume these services

Benefits of SOA:

ā€¢ Agility to collaborate ā€“ SOA provides the ease of sharing information securely with partners and stakeholders by presenting a standard coarse grained service which any authorised business partner can use.
ā€¢ Reduction of cost – SOA primitives are standards-based. For example, WSDL, SAML, SOAP & UDDI, provides a modular architecture, thereby enabling sharing and reuse of services.
ā€¢ Improvement in efficiency – SOA promotes a modular enterprise, promising a high degree of reusability of business services, ensuring consistency.

Summary:

Although organisations vary in their purpose, size, structure and community, their underlying IT systems presents a broad set of common concerns and requirements. Examples include the need to align IT with the organisations missions and objectives, IT governance, providing competencies and abilities to share information and collaborate effectively and efficiently.

With SOA, companies have the potential to enable a much higher degree of business agility by transforming the current enterprise IT into a service-driven delivery model.

In non-cloud computing, three independent platforms exist for three different applications running on its own server. In the cloud, servers can be shared, or virtualized, for operating systems and applications resulting in fewer servers and use of resources.

Cloud Technology leverages the use of virtualization in terms of Software As AService (SAAS), Platform AsA Service(PAAS) and Infrastructure As AService (IAAS). As the use of cloud computing increase, jobs requiring cloud skills also emerges.Many see the technology as an opportunity to accelerate their careers.

Facts about Cloud Computing:

• Companies with Cloud Architect positions seek people who can define the cloud — from business requirements to the actual cloud deployment.Salaries range from $150,000 to $250,000 annually, depending on location and experience.
• Cloud computing presents a number of new employment opportunities for qualified individuals in the IT space. ManyIT Professionals are looking to ditch the server and hop onto the cloud bandwagon to climb the corporate ladder.
• Cloud computing jobs range from Architects and Developers to Data Scientists, Security Professionals and more.

Honing your IT skills to cloud is crucial to receive that big promotion, land that next hot cloud job and enjoy a long cloud career.